My husband has a 10 day gap between basic an AIT....

June 3rd, 2013, 10:08 AM

My husband has a 10 day Gap between basic and AIT, thanksgiving happens to fall in those 10 days would he get a 10 day pass to come home for thanksgiving or should I plan to stay w our 3 kids out there where he will be graduating (we live about 16 hours form FT L wood) so we can see him... will he even get a break at all? Just wondering how this all would work..... Thanks

Depends on "Needs of the Army" and how his CoC works. Is his AIT at FLW as well? Does he have any travel between BCT and AIT?

In my experience, he *should* get off on Turkey Day, but that's it... especially if he is stuck in a holding BN. Since he hasn't left yet, talk to the recruiter or hop on FB and look up the FRG group for his training BN (yep, they'll have one) and post the inquiry there.

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his BCT and AIT are at the same place.... and im not sure what BN even is.... I guess im really new to this.... and the FRG is that a support group for the "ones left behind?" I saw somewhere that we ( myself and our 3 kids) could stay on base for his graduation and what not is that true? I see they have "hotels" but I wasn't sure if those are reserved for orders or something along those lines... what would be better staying on base or getting a hotel off base..... his AIT doesn't start ( according to his contract) until dec 3 2013 his graduation is the Friday before thanksgiving .....

BN = Battalion. FRG = Family Readiness Group - usually there to disseminate info, help out with planning, support, etc.

As far as travel, again, it's up to his CoC. Seeings how its the same place, there is a fairly good chance he'll be allowed some time off since the cadre don't want to have to work those days either. At most though, I would only plan on getting T-Day and Black Friday though. A 96 hr pass is doable without having to go through the process of leave, SATO, etc.

As far as rooming onbase, those hotels are available to you and I recommend getting a reservation ASAP. They tend to fill up quick and the places off base make their living gouging soldier's families.

From my experience at Fort Leonard Wood and leaving to Fort Gordon in a four months for school (there is a 3 week break between phases due to the holidays); yes, he should be afforded to take leave during the break period. The hotels by the post are decent and you can go there. If you want him to come home; then plan for that too. During training, his CADRE will explain to him what are his options during the break.

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Even if he were offered leave, I'd suggest he decline it as he'll have Christmas exodus a few weeks after that which is about 15 days. Two large chunks of leave like that will cause him to have a debt at the end of his AIT. He'll either end up not getting paid at the end of AIT or not getting paid for drills.

I was at Fort Jackson and graduated a few days before Thanksgiving seven years ago and had AIT at the same place with about a four day gap. They held us until last at BCT and then transported us to the new unit on same post at AIT. AIT inprocessed us and then kept us gainfully employed for the few days, but would give us day passes. I think on Turkey day we had an overnight pass. Which means we could leave post but had to stay nearby. Ten days is of course a few more days than we had. I'm skeptic they will let him go all the way home, but one never knows. So much easier on paperwork to just give them day passes or overnight passes then process them in/out to leave the area. He will get some free time, just unsure if able to go all the way home.

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Even if he were offered leave, I'd suggest he decline it as he'll have Christmas exodus a few weeks after that which is about 15 days. Two large chunks of leave like that will cause him to have a debt at the end of his AIT. He'll either end up not getting paid at the end of AIT or not getting paid for drills.

They have to pay to get a leave? So if He comes home for Christmas he will have to pay the Army to let him come home? im not sure how that works...

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They have to pay to get a leave? So if He comes home for Christmas he will have to pay the Army to let him come home? im not sure how that works...

the Army is a job just like any job out there you only get so much paid time off. in the army you get 2.5 leave days a month he's not going to be in long enough to build up 15 days of leave to come home for entire Christmas exodus therefore if he takes 15 days of leave and doesn't have it, which he wont, he will be docked pay

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ahhh ok he was told that it would be paid because he doesn't have the choice of staying for training I will have to ask him again about that and see what his recruiter says... thanks that is a good thing to know....(im not sure who told him that....) does that rule apply to day passes and overnights? like around the thanksgiving time? or is that different.....

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the Army is a job just like any job out there you only get so much paid time off. in the army you get 2.5 leave days a month he's not going to be in long enough to build up 15 days of leave to come home for entire Christmas exodus therefore if he takes 15 days of leave and doesn't have it, which he wont, he will be docked pay

Correct. And you are docked pay on the back-end these days. I had Christmas Exodus during BCT, returned and graduated, then started drilling back home. My first drill pay check after that (and all of them for about 6 months) had "Debt Repayment" taken out to pay back leave.

It might be slightly different for your husband, since depending on the length of his AIT he could accrue enough leave. Even if he goes in the hole before AIT, he would still be on Active Duty orders and could have time to make up the deficit in leave. He shouldn't start getting charged Debt Repayment until he comes off of Initial Active Duty Training (IADT) orders.

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I can't speak for sure, but I would be really surprised if he got a 10 day pass, especially so close to exodus. When I arrived at FLW I ended up being a holdover because there were not enough people to start my class....I had 14 days before Exodus and I was more than willing to pay the difference in plane ticket penalties if they would have just let me go home early....it was a no go. I had to sit around there for 2 weeks doing nothing. Good luck.

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I'd stay where your at, I've actually graduated boot camp twice myself and besides the happiness of having family present on family day, I'd save your money and time and spend it with him once he finishes AIT (unless his is a particularly long one... like 8 months or more). I'm a parent too so I know how you feel, these things take time to coordinate with family who will watch the kiddos. My advice, visit for family day and leave it at that, save your money (and his =D) so that you guys can have a nice vacation afterwords.

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I can't speak for sure, but I would be really surprised if he got a 10 day pass, especially so close to exodus. When I arrived at FLW I ended up being a holdover because there were not enough people to start my class....I had 14 days before Exodus and I was more than willing to pay the difference in plane ticket penalties if they would have just let me go home early....it was a no go. I had to sit around there for 2 weeks doing nothing. Good luck.

A "pass" under ALL circumstances must incorporate a weekend and cannot be more that 4 days...zero exceptions.